Curtain-rod end member with interior sheaves



Nov. 9 1926.

C. W. KIRSCH CURTAIN RoD END MEMBER WITH INTERIOR sHEAvEs 2 sheeis-sheet 1 Filed August e, 1925 lll/IIIIIIIJI.Zar/Illini vri/lll c. w. KlRscH CURTAIN ROD END MEMBER WITH INTERIOR SHEAVES Nov. 9 1926.

Filed August e, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Nov. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATESl cIIARLEs w. RIRsciI, or s'rUReIs, MICHIGAN'.

CURTAIN-Ron END MEMBER WITH INTERIOR sHElLvEs.l

Application led August 6, 1925. Serial No. 48,486.

This invention relates to curtain and drapery fixtures and particularly to that type of said devices adapted for the so-called pull-string type of curtains or draperies, the meeting edge portions ofwhich are adapted to be brought together to close a passage-way or exclude or dim light from windows, etc. and separated for opposite reasons and are operable by means of a cord having its end portions disposed at one side of a window-casing or the like.

The present invention relates more particularly tothe type of curtain rods which are mounted at the tops of window-casings and have their main or middle portions spaced from the said casing and has for its object to provide means whereby the operating cord for the curtains or drapes is disposed mainly within the rod with only its end portions disclosed to view at one side of the window-casing.

The type of curtain rod to which the iiivention most directly relates is the hollow or tubular, longitudinally slotted type which comprises a straight main or middle portion adapted to extend parallel with the windowcasing and is supported by means of L- shaped end portions telescopically associated therewith. This ty e of rod is exemplified in Letters Patent Nit). 1,250,190, dated Dec. 18, 1917 and the present invention relates particularl to the end members of this type of ro s having for its particular object to provide means for incorporating into either arm of each end member and mounting in one arm thereof, sheaves over which the operating cord for drapes of the type mentioned is trained.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of a curtain rod constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. i

Figs. 3 and lare fra entary plan sections of the same on the lines 3-3 and 4-4,

respectively, of Fig. 2.

Fi 5 is a sectional view of the same on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the end members of the rod.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section on the line 7 7 of rig. 5.

.with arms 10 and 11 tor which the Fig. 8 is a. lsection on the line 8;-8 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a drapery carrier disassociated with the rod. The curtain rod into which the present invention is shown to be incorporated in this 1nstance comprises a straight section 1 of the conventional hollow fiat rod, C-shaped in cross section having a continuous slot in its rear face which is bordered' by flanges 2 upon which suitable drapery carriers 3 are slidably mounted. An exemplary type. of carrier 3 is shown in Fig. 9, the same com# prisinlg a metal plate equipped with iianges 4 eac having recesses 5 to receive the flanges of the rod, the plate being also provided with a slot 6 and projection 7 for attaching a loop 8 of the operating cord 9'to said plate, the latter being also uipped apery is adapted to be secured.

The ends of the rod 1 are telescopicall received in arms 12 of end-members whic are L-shaped, the other 4or free arm 13 of each thereof being adapted to be enga ed with a wall fixture or bracket 14 securec to a window-casing or the like. The Aarms 12 of each of said members is of greater length than the arm 13 and either ofsaid arms may be engaged with the rodfor varying the spacing of the latter from the window-,casing, said arms being otherwise identical in every particular. v

Each of said arms 12 and 13 of anendmember of the structure is provided with'the longitudinal slot bordered by flanges 15 and -with a perforation 16 in the `wall opposmg said slot and in alignment with the latter.

Each arm 12 and 13 is also provided with j a pair of perforations 17 in its top wall and similarly in its bottom wall, said perforar tions being axially aligned.

The drapery carriers 3 are adapted to be attached to the cord 9 which is disposed within the rod 1. This cord must be trained over a sheave 18 disposed at one end of said` `the depending end-portions of said cord and are so spaced from theperforation or opening 16 so that when the'sheaves 19 and 20 are mounted in 'an arm 12 or an arm 13 of an end-member of the rod, said openings or perforations 17 are disposed in proper position relatively to thel grooves of the sheaves 19 and 20 to permit dependence of the end portions of the cord 9 from the latter without contacting with the walls of said perforations 17, the latter belng of considerably'greater diameter than said cord 9.

The sheave 18 is disposed between the arms of a U-shaped frame 21 and is rotatable on the smooth cylindrical head portion of-a set-screw 22. The latter has a threaded shank 23 of smaller diameter than said head portion and extends :freely through an opening of proper diameter in one of the arms ofthe member of frame 21. Said threaded shank engages in the threaded opening in a nut or plate 24 disposed to spanthe slot in the armK containing said frame 21 so as to clamp the anges 15 bordering said slot between said nut 24 and the arm of said member 21 through which said threaded shank passes, the said arm being, in turn, clampeda ainststhe annular shoulder at the base of said threaded shank.

A `similar frame 25 carries the 'sheaves 19 and 20, one of the latter, preferably the larger which is disposed adjacent the middle portion of the frame 25,is rotatable on the head portion .of the screw 26 which is identical with the screw 22, the smaller sheave 19 being rotatable on a pin 27 permanently associated with the frame 25.

The frames 21 --and 25 may be associated with the arms 12 and 13 interchangeably and` the end members interchanged as desired, it being necessary, of course, to train the end portions of the cord 9 over the sheaves 19 and 20 according to the position of the member carrying said frame 25 in order that the said sheaves 19 and 20 may function.

In assembling the structure, the cord 9' is preferably trained over the sheave 18 before the frame 21 isinserted into the arm 12 or 13 ofthe end member which is to contain the same. Said frame is then inserted into said arm and there secured. The free end pdrtions of the cord 9 are then trained over the sheaves 19 and 20 before the frame 25 is inserted into the arm 12 or 13 of the other end member of the rod. Said free end portions of said cord are thei. readily passed through the desired` arm of the end member and through the respective erforations 17 in the lower wall of the atter and thereupon the frame 25 is inserted and secured.

' The ortion of r'the cord 9. disposed between t e frames 21 and 25 is now passed through the slot in the rod 1, the several sets of drapery carriers then mounted on the latter and the end members then slipped yinto place. Loops 8 of oppositely traveling portions of the cord 9 wit in the rod 1 are then drawn through the slots 6 and over projections 7 of the respective master-carriers disposed nearest the middle of the rod, care being exercised that the said mastercarriers are disposed equidistantly from the free arms of the end members of the rod and that no slack is left between the points of attachment of the cord 9 to said master carriers and the sheave 18.

Weights or other means for maintaining the cord taut are usually secured to the free ends of the latter either before attachment to the master carriers or thereafter, the assembled structure being now ready for ilrlounting on the wall fixtures or brackets In the drawings I have shown only the the frame 21 or 25, said additional carriersbeing unattached to the cord 9.

The relative diameters of the sheaves 19 and 20. is such that the portions of cord trainedover each will be out of interfering relation to each other.

The invention as illustrated and described is directed to the specific type of curtain rod disclosed without, however, excluding modifications and variations of the structure of the sheave carriers and arrangement of sheaves to adapt the invention to other types of curtain rods within the definition of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. A curtain rod including hollow end members each provided with a continuous slot in one wall thereof and provided with a perforation in the wall opposing said slot and in alignment with the latter, there being at least one opening in each of the remaining walls thereof having their axes extending perpendicularly to that of said perforations, sheave carriers including frames snugly fit-ting and slidable within said end members and each thereof carrying at least one sheave, and clamping means associated with said frames and said endmembers and including a member passing through said perforations for holding said frames in fixed position with the sheaves thereof disposed relatively to the said openings for the passage through the latter of the end `portions of a cordl trained over said sheaves.

2. A curtain rod including hollow endmembers each provided with a continuous slot in one wall thereof and provided with a perforation in the wall op osing said slot and in alignment with the atter, there being at least one opening in each of the remaining walls thereof having their4 axes extending perpendicularly to that of said perforation, sheave carriers including frames slidable within said end-members andea-ch thereof carrying at least one sheave, and

clamping means associated with said framesand said end-members and including a member passing through said perforations for holding said frames in fixed position with the sheaves thereof dis osed relatively to the said openings for t e passage through the latter of the end portions of a cord trained over said sheaves.

3. A curtain rod including hollow endmembers each provided with a continuous slot in one wall thereof and provided with a perforation in the wall opposing said lslot and in alignment with the latter, there being at least one opening in each of the remaining walls thereof having their axes extending perpendicularly to that of said perforation, sheave carriers including frames slidable within said end-members and each thereof carrying at least one sheave, and clamping means associated with said frames and said end-member` and including a member passing through said perforations for holding said frames in fixed position with the sheaves thereof disposed relatively to the said openings for the passage through the latter of the end portions of a cord trained over said sheaves, said member constituting' the shaft of a sheave.

4. A curtain rod including hollow endmembers, each provided with a continuous slot in one wall thereof and provided with a perforation in the wall opposing said slot and in alignment with the latter, there being at least one opening in each of the remaining walls thereof havin their axes extending perpendicularly to ta sheave carriers including frames snugly litting and slidable within said end-members and each thereof carrying atleast one sheave and clamping means associated with sai frames and said end-members and including a member passing through said perforations for holding said frames in fixed position with the sheaves thereof disposed relatively to the said openings for the passage through the latter of the end portions of a cord trained over said sheaves, said member constituting the shaft of a sheave.

5. A curtain rod including hollow endmembers, each provided with a continuous slot in one wall thereof and provided with a perforation in the wall opposing said slot and in alignment with the latter, there being at least one opening in each of the remaining walls thereof having their axes extending perpendicularly to that of said perforation,

t of said perforation,`

sheave carriers including frames snugly tting and slidable within said end-members and each thereof carrying at least one sheave, and vvclamping means associated with said frames and said end-members and including a member passing through said perforations said frame, a sheave and the slot of the en member, and a nut associated with said mem ber and said frame for clamping `the walls of the end-member bordering said slot between said nut and said frame, said openings positioned relatively to the perforations for permitting the passage of the ends of the cord trained over said sheaves.

6. A hollow curtain rod including a middle portion and two substantially L-shaped members detachably associated with said middle portion, each of the arms of said end-members being provided with pairs of openings in its upper and lower walls and with an opening 1n a Vertical wall thereof disposed 1n predetermined position relatively to said pairs of openings, a sheave carrier equipped with two sheaves of different diameters and adapted to be inserted into any one of the several arms of the end members with the larger sheave disposed farthest from the adjacent end of said middle portion, and means on said sheave carrier adapted to engage in said opening in a vertical wall of the arm of an end-member containing said carrier for securing the latter against movement longitudinally of said arm, the sheaves of said carrier disposed relatively to said securing meansA to cause the grooves thereof to become so aligned with the pairs of openings in the arm containing said carrier as to permit the end portions of a cord trained over said sheaves to depend from the latter through the said pair of openings in the lower wall of said'arxn.

7. A sheave-carrier adapted to be mount. ed in a hollow curtain rod, said carrier com prising a U-shaped metal frame, at least one sheave rotatably disposed between the arms of said frame, the latter provided with aligned openings of respectively different diameters, a pivot element for the sheave including a smooth cylindrical end portion of diameter to fit the larger of said openings and of a length greater than the distance between opposed faces of said arms and terminating in an annular shoulder engaging the arm containing the smaller opening, and a threaded shan passing through the latter, and means for engagin said threaded shank and a wall of the rod or securing said carrier against movement relatively to the latter.

CHARLES W. KIRSCH. 

